China net use soars

[Mike_Mackin]

The number of people in China using the internet has grown by almost 50% over the past year.

BBC News [news.bbc.co.uk]

[bill]

The Chinese Internet has huge potential. Looking at Global Internet Statistics [global-reach.biz] by language it looks like the number of users in China is poised to overtake #2 Japan anytime now...and that's with only 3% of the Chinese speaking world online.

Forward thinking companies are going to want to have their web content in Chinese soon...

[toolman]

>>>Forward thinking companies are going to want to have their web content in Chinese soon

That sounds like a plan but do the Chinese have expendable income? and what about shipping to China?

[bill]

Others probably know better about consumer goods in China than I. I've been doing industrial sites, and there is a lot more money in the manufacturing sector compared to even a few years ago. That's got to translate to higher wages and a higher standard of living, doesn't it?

If you've ever been to Beijing or Shanghai, there is a highly visible conspicuous consumer class in China. These are a lot of the same people that will be online initially anyway. They've got the latest fashions, the best cars, and disposable income. They seem to have a taste for foreign products too.

I have no idea what shipping from the US or Europe is to China, but it's not that big an issue from Japan.

[chiyo]

yes they can afford it.. sama sama Bill..

China has extremes of incomes. Targeting the top 10% still brings in over 140,000,000 prospects. Aroung 2/3 the pop of USA.

Of course they don't speak English :)